ANDREW McNamara’s National Hunt string has been in fine form lately and the trainer successfully switched his attentions to the flat for the first time this season as the well-backed Dream Point landed the Tote-sponsored nine-furlong claimer. On her fifth start since being bought for €9,000 last November, the Boyne Valley Syndicate-owned winner was as big as 10/1 in the morning before being returned at 7/2, and she revelled in the drop back in trip from a mile-and-three-quarters.

The Colin Keane-ridden four-year-old got on top inside the distance to see off the Denis Hogan-trained duo of Eastern Racer and Commander. Just as he did at Killarney on Friday, James McAuley claimed the winner (for €8,000) and she will join the Denis Hogan team.

Scorched Earth then made a bold bid to push Keane on to the 60-winner mark in the Tote-sponsored maiden over nine furlongs but instead victory went to Jim Bolger’s Mater Matuta. The Godolphin-owned granddaughter of the Group 1-winning Nadia provided the trainer with his first winner at this track in five years and, along with Scorched Earth, she dominated the race from the outset.

The 73-rated daughter of Dawn Approach, who has run well against a number of stakes-class fillies, got home by half a length under Kevin Manning.

Trainer Shane Duffy sent out his first winner of the season as the well-supported Molly Kaye and Ben Coen took the Tote-sponsored apprentice handicap over a mile-and-a-half. The 9/2 joint favourite, who came here off a good third to Galeola at Tipperary, slipped through on the inner turning for home en route to a near five-length triumph over Indian Eye. The winner is owned by Gary Fleming.

Foley enterprise

Shane Foley deservedly took the plaudits after he guided the joint top-weight, Formula One, to victory in the Sign Up For A Tote Account Handicap over an extended mile-and-a-half. A son of Frankel and the Prix de l’Abbaye winner Wizz Kid, the gelding had struggled to make an impression on his first two runs for Jessica Harrington and it looked as though a similar fate could beckon here as he was slowly away once more.

However, Foley deftly circled the field to land in front after halfway and a very willing Formula One produced a resilient effort to defeat Greenpanda by three-parts of a length. The winner is owned by Fiona Carmichael and Ballylinch Stud and was backed from 8/1 into 11/2 on track.

A deserved first success on the flat finally arrived for John McConnell’s Itsalonglongroad (9/2) in the Tote-sponsored mile-and-a-half maiden. A 17-race maiden on the flat coming into this race, the Let’s Get Lucky Racing Club-owned gelding had previously run some fine races in defeat on the level, and he made most of the running under Ross Coakley to see off fellow winning jumper Convara by half a length.